This blog is a place where I write about tools and ideas related to teaching, technology, and making.

Saturday, April 30, 2016

Raspberry Pi Robot

I recently started learning about Raspberry Pi. One thing I'm really excited about is the CamJam EduKit #3 Robotics kit, available through the Pi Hut. In the process of experimenting with this kit, I've started learning basic programming in Python, and I'm starting to understand how the GPIO pins work. In addition to coming with two motors and some wheels, the kit comes with a line sensor and an ultrasonic sensor to help your robot avoid obstacles. Support worksheets for the kit are pretty easy to follow and encourage experimentation.

Pi Zero Robot

In one breakthrough, I learned how to talk to my Pi using another computer via Secure Shell (SSH). Now, my Pi doesn't have to be tethered to a monitor, which is useful for building things that move.

While most of the code written for the CamJam EduKit #3 works the same way with a Pi Zero as as a Pi 3, the ultrasonic sensor appears to be an exception. I don't yet understand why, but I've confirmed this to be the case.

For the first five years of my career, I taught middle and high school students history and language arts in Vermont. More recently, I've been teaching workshops related to the maker movement and educational tech.